Episcopal-Pagan Priests Recant; But Many See ECUSA as Unrepentant
by Jim Brown and Jenni Parker
November 5, 2004
(AgapePress) - A conservative Anglican activist is criticizing the response of the Episcopal Church USA (ECUSA) to revelations that two of its priests embrace the worship of pagan deities.
Some members of the Worldwide Anglican Communion say they are not the least bit surprised by the latest heresy to surface in the American Episcopal Church -- a pagan liturgical rite promoted on the denomination's website. The ECUSA's Office of Women's Ministries recently touted a resource called the "Women's Eucharist: A Celebration of the Divine Feminine," which encourages worship of a so-called "Queen of Heaven."
The "Women's Eucharist" was written by Episcopal rector Glyn L. Ruppe-Melnyk, who has acknowledged involvement -- along with her husband and fellow Episcopal minister, Rev. William Melnyk -- with druid organizations in the United States and England. Originally "druid" referred to a member of an ancient Celtic priesthood, often appearing in the sagas of the British Isles and in early Christian lore as magicians and wizards; however, neo-druid movements have reappeared and persisted in recent times in Europe and America.
The husband and wife Episcopal clerics claim to have begun their involvement with druidism in an effort to explore early British heritage and traditions and to seek ways of helping other people reconnect with the Church. Bishop Charles Bennison of Pennsylvania says he is looking into whether Melnyk and Ruppe-Melnyk have violated their ordination vows. However, Bennison insists he "won't allow the situation to turn into a witch hunt."
The couple have recently sent letters to their bishop repenting and recanting "without qualification" all their actions determined to be "in conflict with the Baptismal Covenant, and the historical Creeds of the Church." Both have reportedly reaffirmed their belief in those established Christian covenants and creeds and renounced their previous error.
In closing, Melnyk's letter notes his intention to resign his membership in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids as a sign of his repentance. He asserts he has been "a faithful Deacon and Priest of the Church, with the exception of the error admitted above, since 1981," and asks for "the mercy of the Church" and of Christ.
A Tragic Betrayal of Orthodoxy
Faith McDonnell is with the Episcopal Action Committee (EAC) of the Institute on Religion and Democracy. She believes Bishop Bennison is unlikely to discipline the two Episcopal ministers for their previous dabbling in druidism, but she feels the official needs to take the matter very seriously, because the pagan influence needs to be contained.
McDonnell says if she supposed the bishop had any sense of humor at all, she might think his reference to a "witch hunt" was meant humorously. "But really," she says, "it's just tragic that [the denomination's leaders] are actually going off on witch hunts against orthodox people in the Episcopal Church -- orthodox clergy and bishops."
However, the EAC spokeswoman observes, "when it comes to pagan worship or blessing of homosexual marriages, that gets held up as a 'new move of the spirit.'" The IRD action committee has noted that Margaret Rose, head of the ECUSA's Office of Women's Ministries, still makes no apologies for the pagan content of the Women's Eucharist.
Instead, Rose persists in defending the druid rite as an alternative resource for Episcopalians, offered "in good faith," and posted on the ECUSA website as part of an effort to "open the awareness of the many voices and needs that exist among people in the church."
Although the errant clergy have repented, McDonnell believes this Episco-druid controversy is just another reason why the Anglican Communion should shun the ECUSA. She says the Episcopal Church has a long history of fascination with idolatry and paganism, and its members are not alone in this fact.
New Age Leanings -- An Old Problem
"It's really nothing new for the mainline Protestant churches," McDonnell notes, "and I would even add that the Evangelical church world should watch out too, because this kind of radical feminist theology is getting into seminaries outside of the mainline denominations as well."
The Church renewal advocate claims the so-called "Women's Eucharist" exhibits much of this same radical feminist influence. She notes for example that, besides involving pagan goddess-worship, the druid-influenced rite elevates women's sexuality, water, blood, and breasts to divine status.
The pagan liturgy brought back memories for McDonnell, recalling the 1993 Re-Imagining Conference, where one speaker claimed Christ's sacrifice on the cross was "a form of divine child abuse." Other speakers at that conference invoked pagan religious imagery and ideas, including goddess worship, in response to what they perceived as patriarchy and male-dominance in the established church.
Although the Office of Women's Ministries has removed the Women's Eucharist from its website, the head of that office claims this was done only to avoid copyright infringement. Meanwhile the ECUSA continues to advertise and recommend books, both on the Women's Ministries web page and through its official bookstore, that advocate pagan worship. Some of the titles featured include: Descent to the Goddess: A Way of Initiation for Women, The Book of the Goddess Past and Present, Goddesses Who Rule?, and Beginner's Guide to Wicca.
A recent Episcopal Action News commentary points out this ongoing promotion of paganism, and goes on to suggest that a lack of repentance is a chronic problem for America's Episcopal Church. If that problem goes unanswered, many conservatives in the denomination and beyond feel the Anglican Communion may be forced to take more significant action against the ECUSA.
